Video: Inside ATFP Gala 2013

Photo Gallery: ATFP Gala 2013

Q: Does ATFP support "normalization" with Israel?

A: ATFP is an American organization. It categorically opposes the occupation that began in 1967, but it does not oppose the State of Israel. The raison d'être of ATFP is to end the occupation and establish a Palestinian state, but not to oppose the existence of the State of Israel. In order to achieve its policy goals, ATFP has built relationships with American, Palestinian, Israeli, Arab and other relevant officials, institutions and individuals. ATFP believes that Palestinian and Arab Americans are free, and indeed obliged if they wish to have an impact, to engage with all key constituents and stakeholders, including Israel and its Jewish-American supporters. This freedom, and the opportunity to impact decision-making in the world's sole superpower by virtue of our American citizenship, is one of the greatest assets of the Palestinian-American and Arab-American communities. It must be utilized to the fullest extent and not ignored, squandered or disparaged.

ATFP encourages all people, including Palestinians in the occupied territories, in Israel, and all over the world, to engage all others, including with Jews and Israelis, to look for cooperation, partnership and points of convergence wherever they can be found. ATFP supports building people-to-people, grassroots, institutional and other avenues of engagement involving individuals, civil society, commercial interests and others that can advance the cause of cooperation and reconciliation and move us quickly towards resolving the conflict, ending the occupation and creating an independent state of Palestine alongside Israel.

The normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Arab states or other countries is a matter for governments and a subject of diplomacy. ATFP is not a government, and is not affiliated with any government. ATFP recognizes that diplomatic and political normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab states in general will be the consequence of a two-state peace agreement with the Palestinians, as envisaged in the Arab Peace Initiative. The timing and manner of such normalization, however, is a matter for governments and negotiations, not policy advocacy groups like ATFP. However, ATFP looks forward to a Middle Eastern future in which all the peoples of the region live in a condition of normalcy, especially the Palestinian people in their own, independent, democratic and pluralistic state.